Liquid-relief apparatus and method



G. CAMPBELL LIQUID RELIEF APPARATUS AND METHOD A/QQL Filed Jan. 5, 1925TRII/EYS D RWVTAMHM T Patented dan. l, i929.

essaiera @MTO STATES PATENT @FFEQE GRANTCAMPBELL, OF SHORT HILLS, NEWJERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO CAMPBELL ENGI- NBER/ING COMPANY, OF SHORT HILLS, NEWJERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Application filed January 5, 1925. Serial No. 670.

rlhis invention is anovel liquid relief apparatus and method, referringmore especially to the reliefof liquid condensing from vapor, forexample for trapping and separating or removing water from steam carriedin t-he mains of power plants.

The general object of the present invention is to afford a simple,durable and effective apparatus, one which will be inexpensive ofmanufacture, compact, convenient in use, and requiring the minimum ofattention and repair. Other and further objects and advantages will bepointed out in the hereinafter following description of anembodimentthereof or will be apparent to those skilled in the subject.To the attainment of such objects and advantages the present inventionconsists in the novel apparatus, and the novel `features of method,operation, combination, arrangement and structure herein illustrated ordescribed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 may be considered as a more orless diagrammatic illustration, taken enerally 1n vertical centralsection, of sufiicient apparatus to illustrate and explain theprinciples of the present invention. .Fig 2 shows a modification of apart of the apparatus.

The steam main, or other vessel from which it is desired to remove thewater con- .tained in the steam, is not shown, but the descending pipe.25 may be considered as leading from the desired point, for examplefrom the drip connection of a steam main. At the foot of this pipe isshown a coupling 2G from which horizontal and vertical branches may betaken. The branch pipe 27 extends from the coupling 26 hori-V zontallyto the orifice s stem to be described. To keep clear the ori ces it isdesirable to strain out impurities, and the pipe 27 is shown as leadingdirectly to a strainer 28 consisting of' a easing enclosing a fabric ormesh 25) through which the water and` tained between orifices, withpressures intermediate between the initial and final pressures, subject'to variation during operation. By orifice it is intended to includeequivalents; thus it is well known that the equivalent of a singleorifice is afforded by a number of smaller apertures, or b .any escapedevice producing a restricte progressive passage or outflow of fiuidwith resulting depression of pressure.

The orifice system hereof may, for example, be built up of a series oforifice units or chambers 33, 34, and 36, although a greaterbr lessnumber'might be employed, containing a series of orifices or nozzles 38,39, 40 and 41, which for some purposes may be of'graduated sizes asshown. rlhe orifice elements or units are yshown connected in tandem,although this arrangement could be varied for some purposes.

Each of the orifice units is shown as enclosing a chamber havingpreferably bulging. walls so as to afford substantial capacity. Theupper or inlet end of each unit may be provided with a bead 42,hexagonal 1n shape to facilitate the coupling of the parts. The. inletend may also be interiorly lthreaded at 43 to receive 'the incomingconnection, e. g. the lower end of the downward pipe 32, so that steamand water entering from the pipe 25 may be passed directly into thefirst chamber and received there above the first orifice piece 38. The

orifice piece may be of various forms, for example with tapered andflared approach and getawayv as illustrated. The outlet end 44 of eachunit is vshown as interiorly threaded to receive the orifice piece, andeX- teriorly threaded for the purpose of being coupled in tandem withthe next succeeding orifice unit.

The final orifice-unit 36 is shown as having a coupling 45 to whichisfitted a discharge pipe 46 leading to a waste point or place ofutilization of the warm Water and steam discharged.

The orifice elements 33, 34, 35 and 36 and their intercombination withother elements, generally speaking, are not herein claimed per se asthey form the subject of a separate application; the present applicationbeing directed to method or apparatus for trapping and removing liquid,and embodying features not necessarily dependent on the particularorifice s stem described.

The apparatus thus ar described, including elements 25 to 46, isserviceable as a liquid nelief means-without the further apparatus'yetto be described, and assuming that the coupling 26 is closed at itslower end. The action will be that the accumulating water is rapidlyblown through each orifice from one chamber to another and finallydischarged from the system at the outgo pipe 46. In effect there arefour orifices separated by spaces forming three intermediate chambers34, 35 and 36,..and a preliminary chamber 33 and discharge passage orchamber 46. There will be a progressive drop of pressure from each ofthe chambers to the next, and the fiow of steam and water will thus berestricted to the quantity that can pass through each orifice under theconditions of difference in pressure 4between adjacent chambers,character and size of orifice, and condition of the fluid traversing thesame, Whether water, steam,` or a mixture or combination of them.Another factor is involved, namely that in passing through each orificeto a lower pressuresome of the water will be evaporated, thus creating atendency, at the end of the system, to deliver much low pressure steam,which may be made use of for heating purposes or the like. The waterdescending by pipe 25 is thus rapidly removed from the steam, withoutundue loss of either fluid, and under conditions and with resultsmeeting the objects as hereinbefore set forth.

Therelief apparatus .thus described, without the further features belowdescribed, is not herein claimed per se, but has been made the subjectof complete disclosure and claim in my copending application Serial No.36,928, filed June 13, 1925, and has subsequently been divided out ofsaid copending application and made the subject of disclosure and claimin my divisional application, Serial No. 302,025',`file d August 25,1928; the present application being directed to the full combinationincluding the separate discharge or valve means controlled by thechanges of pressure in the orifice system.

In some plants there may be emergencies when a very excessive amount orrate of water of condensation is produced, and the following apparatusis intended to meet this situation and create a ra-pid discharge of theexcess water, automatically, at such intervals as conditions require, orin some cases a substantially continual or progressive discharge.Control of the additional discharge means may be effected by any sort.of connection, such as pipe 47, extending from an intermediate point,such as the chamber 36, of the orifice system, the pipe 47 shownconnected directly by a pipe 48 to the valve 49 about to be described.In this way the lowered pressure existing at the selected point isutilizedv as a motive for'ce for control purposes.

The valve 49 is an automatic valve, preferably pressure controlled bythe pressure in orifice chamber 36. A pipe 50 is shown extending fromthe coupling 26 to the main valve chamber through the 'valve casing part51. The valve/casing may also compriseal second part or shell '52attached to shell 51, and. avthird part or barrel 53 extending fromshell 52. A diaphragm 54 is shown clamped between casing parts 5l and52. A piston type of valve would serve as well. A spring 55 presses onthe diaphragm in a manner tending to open the valve, which is shown inopen condition'inthe figure, the valve disk 56 being removed from theseat 57, `permitting the water in pipe 50 to discharge rapidly throughthe valve and out by waste pipe 5 8. The valve disk is shown supportedby a yoke member 59 from the diaphragm.

Assuming that a flood or excess of water of condensation has formed inthe steam main, the operation may be substantially as follows. The valve49 normally is closed, the spring v55 being so adjusted that the steampressure on the diaphragm inner side overbalances the spring and thenormal pressure at the outer side. The Water from the main normallyfills the valve chamber and down pipe 50. When excessive the wateroverflows through pipes 27 and 30 into the orifice system, filling pipe32 and chamber 33 as shown. When water is present only in smallquantities this will not occur, but steam, substantially free fromfwater, will pass through the orifice system. This causes a lowresulting pressure to exist in the final chamber 36. For example 10()pounds initial pressure may deliver only l2 pounds in the final orificeunit 36. As soon, however, as water floods'in and the orifice unitscommence to receive a preponderance of water the conditions change.lVhen water is delivered to the first unit at 100 pounds pressure theremay bean ultimate pressure in chamber 36 as high as 44 pounds. Thisgives the means of control of the Valve 49. The flood of Water, flowinginto the orifice system, causes a substantial rise of pressure at theend of the system, due to the dll'crence in action in the passage ofsteam and water through the orifices and evaporation of the latter. Thispressure riseis communi- -cated through pipes 47 andy48 to the valve 49.Normally the spring 55 is insufficiently strong to open the valve;adjustment being provided for this purpose. The increase of pressure dueto the presence of a surplus of water, reenforces the pressure of thespring, thus forcing the diaphragm inwardly and opening the valve bymoving the disk from the seat. Aquantity of surplus water is thereuponimmediately relieved or discharged from the pipe through the valve 49 tothe waste pipe 5S. The parts are shown in their position when thisdischarge has partly taken place. In due course the pipes E27, 30. and'32 and chamber 33 will he drained and normal conditions restored,the

pressure in the control chamber 3G dropping again from 44 to 12 poundsper square inch for example, the valve 49 closing, and the pipe 50filling up to the normal point, sublstantially at a level with the pipe27 leading to the orifice system. The pipe 50 will not necessarily drainsubstantially below its upper portion, as the operations may consist ofrepeated small or partial discharges without changing the level'of thewater beyond a small extent.

In using the term gas herein it is intended to include vapor, and byfluid is intended gas, vapor or liquid. In one aspect this invention maybe described as comprising two discharge means, the liquid passing bothto t-he'orifice system and the valve by separate passages; the orificesgiving a slow, continuous restricted discharge, and the valve a moredirect discharge, which may be considered as a discharge in bulk; andthe depressed pressure in the orifice system being utilized to controlthe bulk discharge by valve, which may be continuous and variable orintermittent according to the arrangement and adjustment.

Many variations and extensions of the described invention are available.Qwingto the small capacity of pipe 50 it might in some cases tend todrain and possibly permit direct steam escape through valve 49 beforethe orifice system has drained; which is avoidable by enlarging the bodyof pipe 50 into a closed water drum or vessel or using the expedient ofFig. 2. The pipe 58 instead of discharging to waste may be-caused tolead to a supplemental orifice system with successive chambers ofdecreasing pressure, permitting utilization of the fluid in any chamberfor any purpose, such as a radiator heating system. The outgo of theorifice system B25-41 may be combined with the one just described,discharging into the same supplemental orifice chambers, with an ejecisuch -tor elementv preventing the fluid from pipe :38 backing up intopipelti. ln such case the sul'iplemental orifices should be larger andinvolve lower ranges of pressure. than the main ones from which thevalve control is obtained. A heating system so connected to anyorificechamber may act in effect as an enlarged chamber, the heating coilsincreasing the chamber capacity, and the proper pressure being maintameddue to the resistance of the orifices following after chamber. Othervariations suggest themselves, within the purport and scope of theembodiment illustrated.

The pipe 50 can be used to accumulate and discharge'solid matters thusrelieving the'strainer; but for such purpose it is better to replace thecoupling 26 and upper part of pipe 50 by a vessel or chamber 6() asshown in Fig. 2. y

An example of the use of the present invention is for continuouslydischarging the Water condensing in the steam system of a railroad car.A system of' small orifices may serve and preferably the discharge valveis .supplementally used. The service can be calculated approximately tominimize steam discharge by maintaining water discharge, knowing therate of condensation. Such application ofthe principles hereof is madethev subject of claim in a copending application,

When variations `of existing pressure in the steam main are likely tooccur the valve 49 shouldbe carefully adjusted to remain closed whensteam only, at the maximum pressure, is delivered to the orifice system,and to remain open when the water onlyis delivered, even' at theminimumjprobable pressure, this adjustment being readily effected in avalve, such as that illustrated, having spring regulation.

lt will thus be seen that there has been described a liquid reliefapparatus and method, embodying the principles and attaining theadvantages of the present invention. Since many matters of method,operation, arrangement, combination, construction and detail may bevariously modified without departing from the principles of theinvention it is not intended to limit the same to such matters except tothe extent set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of separatingliquid from gases consisting in conductingVthe same by two passages, one controlled by valve to regulate discharge,and the other leading to an orifice system, and utilizing the loweredpres- -sure at an intermediate point in the orice system to open orclose the valve in accordance with i-ncrease or decrease in quantity ofliquid to be removed.

2. Anv apparatus for discharging excess liquid from a vessel, comprisinga controllable discharge means, an orifice system, a

lliquid passage from the vessel to the controllable discharge means, anda second passage from the vessel to the orifice system, and meansoperated from the orifice system for controlling the action of theliquid discharge means.

, 8. An apparatus for removing excess liquid from a pressure vesselcontaining liquid and vapor under pressure, comprising an orifice systemof successivel orifices, a liquid vland vapor passage from the vessel tothe orifice system, a second passage from the Vessel, a liquid dischargevalve to which the second nos on y

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passage leads, and means whereby the variable depressed pressure in theorifice system regulates the discharging action of the valve.

4. An apparatus as in claim 3 and wherein is a chamber beyond an orificein which evaporation of hot liquid may occur, resulting in higherpressure with greater liquid supply, and the valve regulating meansoperating with higher pressure in the orifice system to open the valveand vice versa.

5. An apparatus as in claim 3 and wherein the successive orifices are ofincreasing area.

6. A relief apparatus forseparating excess liquid from gases comprisinga vessel adapted to receive and accumulate the liquid to be trapped, aregulable discharge valve connected with the lower part of said vessel,an orifice or flow restriction system connected with a higher part ofsaid vessel, and means operated by the variable depressed pressure insaid system for regulating said valve whereby excess of liquid causesincreased discharge and vice versa.

7. Apparatus for rempving excess of liquid from a pressure vesselcomprising a system of'orilices with chamber between each two, aconnection from the pressure vessel to the first orice, a valveconnected for removing liquid from'the vesselwithout traversing theorifices, and means utilizing the varying le pressure in the orificesystem as a motive power'to control said valve.

8. Liquid relief apparatus for removing from vapor passages the liquidcondensing therein7 comprising a constantly open How 35 restrictionsystem connected with such passages and containing a pressure chamber inwhich the pressure varies with the excess of accumulated liquid, incombination with a separate liquid discharge means receiving 40 liquidfrom such passages and adjustable for increase or decrease of dischargeof accumulated liquid, and a connecting means from said pressure chamberto said discharge means operating to adjust the latter to in- 45 creasethe discharge with increase of chamber pressure and Vice versa.

In testimony whereof, I

signature hereto.

GRANT CAMPBELL.

have afixe d my

